Blood processing machine fluid circuit cartridge

Abstract

A first flow path is defined within a first panel that forms a part of an extracorporeal fluid circuit. A second flow path is defined within a second panel that also forms a part of the extracorporeal fluid circuit. The first and second panels are oriented in a fluid processing cartridge for mounting as an integrated unit on a fluid processing machine and for removal as an integrated unit from the fluid processing machine.

1. A disposable fluid circuit for use in a blood processing machine, comprising:
 a fluid circuit having tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions; 
 a support, said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions being mounted in said support; 
 said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions being adapted for conveying blood and at least one other fluid consumed by a blood treatment operation; 
 said support exposing at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions on opposite sides of said support whereby opposing actuators and/or sensors of a blood treatment machine can engage them on opposing sides thereof; said support panel-shaped portions being held in an overlying relationship by said support. 
 
     
     
       2. A circuit as in  claim 1 , wherein said support includes a planar member with cutouts aligned with at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions and thereby expose said at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions. 
     
     
       3. A circuit as in  claim 2 , wherein said support comprises a generally planar member and said at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions are held in a planar arrangement by it. 
     
     
       4. A circuit as in  claim 1 , further comprising a blood filter supported by said support. 
     
     
       5. A circuit as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said flexible panel-shaped portions overlie a recess-shape portion of said support. 
     
     
       6. A disposable fluid circuit for use in a blood processing machine, comprising: a flat tray-shaped member having at least one cutout and at least one recess formed therein; a fluid circuit having at least one tubular portion overlying said cutout and at least one sheet portion overlying said recess; said sheet portion having a flow channel on an inside thereof; said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions being adapted for conveying blood and at least one other fluid consumed by a blood treatment operation. 
     
     
       7. A circuit as in  claim 6 , further comprising a blood filter supported by said support. 
     
     
       8. A circuit as in  claim 6 , wherein said flat tray-shaped member holds said fluid circuit in a generally planar arrangement. 
     
     
       9. A circuit as in  claim 1 , sheet portion is a portion of multiple panel-shaped portions held in an overlying relationship by said flat tray-shaped member. 
     
     
       10. A disposable fluid circuit for use in a blood processing machine, comprising:
 a fluid circuit having flexible panel-shaped portions with flat walls that convey fluid between the flat walls; 
 a support that holds the flexible panel-shaped portions, exposing at least one of the flexible panel-shaped portions to opposing actuators and/or sensors of a blood treatment machine which engages them; 
 the panel-shaped portions being held in mutually-overlying relationship by the support such that the panel shaped portions overlap; 
 the overlying panel-shaped portions being held in mutual engagement by the blood blood-processing machine and confined such that a flow in one of the panel-shaped portions applies a force to the other of the panel-shaped portions. 
 
     
     
       11. A circuit as in  claim 10 , further comprising a blood filter supported by the support. 
     
     
       12. A circuit as in  claim 10 , wherein the support includes a planar member with cutouts aligned with at least some of the tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions and thereby expose the at least some of the tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions. 
     
     
       13. A circuit as in  claim 10 , wherein the support comprises a generally planar member and the at least some of the tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions are held in a planar arrangement by it. 
     
     
       14. A circuit as in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the flexible panel-shaped portions overlies a recess-shape portion of the support. 
     
     
       15. A disposable fluid circuit for use in a blood processing machine, comprising:
 a fluid circuit having tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions; 
 a support, said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions being mounted in said support; 
 each of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions being adapted for conveying at least one of blood and at least one other fluid processed in a blood treatment operation; 
 said support exposing at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions on opposite sides of said support whereby opposing actuators and/or sensors of a blood treatment machine can engage them on opposing sides thereof; said support panel-shaped portions being held in an overlying relationship by said support such that said panel-shaped portions are shaped by engagement with said blood processing machine. 
 
     
     
       16. A circuit as in  claim 15 , wherein said support includes a planar member with cutouts aligned with at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions and thereby expose said at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions. 
     
     
       17. A circuit as in  claim 16 , wherein said support comprises a generally planar member and said at least some of said tubular and flexible panel-shaped portions are held in a planar arrangement by it. 
     
     
       18. A circuit as in  claim 15 , further comprising a blood filter supported by said support. 
     
     
       19. A circuit as in  claim 15 , wherein at least one of said flexible panel-shaped portions overlie a recess-shape portion of said support. 
     
     
       20. A disposable fluid circuit for use in a blood processing machine, comprising: a flat tray-shaped member having at least one cutout and at least one recess formed therein; a fluid circuit having at least one tubular portion overlying said cutout and at least one sheet portion overlying said recess; said sheet portion having a flow channel on an inside thereof; said sheet portions defining a fluid conveyance that conveys at least one other fluid consumed by a blood treatment operation. 
     
     
       21. A circuit as in  claim 20 , further comprising a blood filter supported by said support. 
     
     
       22. A circuit as in  claim 20 , wherein said flat tray-shaped member holds said fluid circuit in a generally planar arrangement. 
     
     
       23. A circuit as in  claim 20 , sheet portion is a portion of multiple panel-shaped portions held in an overlying relationship by said flat tray-shaped member.